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Who Wants to Own Dorothy's Famous 'Wizard of Oz' Dress?
If you have somewhere around $400,000 to $600,000 to spare and are a big fan of the 1939 cinematic classic "The Wizard of Oz" you may want to mark your calendar for an upcoming auction that includes one of Judy Garland's iconic Dorothy dresses.
Julien's Auctions' "Icons & Idols - Hollywood" auction boasts among its collectibles Garland's blue and white pinafore and blouse, designed by Adrian, as seen in the film.
From the item listing:The costume, which is one of the only complete costumes of original pinafore and blouse known to exist, was consigned and sold at Christie's in 1981 by Kent Warner, an MGM costume designer who assisted with the landmark 1970 MGM back lot auction. The pinafore is constructed of blue and white cotton gingham with over-the-shoulder straps that end in points and are ornamented at the ends with white (two-hole) mother of pearl buttons and give the appearance of buttoning at the front waist and back waist. The straps are attached at the waistband and top of bodice only. Attached to the bodice is a bias label in an unknown hand that reads “Judy Garland.”
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Bidding starts at $200,000, but the dress is valued closer to an estimated half million dollars.
The costume will be in London on display for a spell, then on display at Julien's in Beverly Hills from November 5-9; the auction runs November 9-10.
And what of the famous shoes that Dorothy donned with that dress? There were many sets of ruby slippers used in the movie, and a pair thought to be in the best condition of the bunch will have a permanent home in L.A. in the Oscars Museum, which is still in its planning stages.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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